Payment method secret war: choosing the wrong method = disguised price increase?
High-temperature tape suppliers usually support multiple payment methods, but the hidden costs of different options vary significantly:
Payment method Time to arrival Fee rate Applicable scenarios
Telegraphic transfer (T/T) 1-3 days 0.1%-0.3% Large orders, long-term cooperative customers
Letter of credit (L/C) 7-15 days 1%-2% Cross-border transactions, new supplier cooperation
Acceptance bill 30-180 days 0.5%-1.5% Relieve short-term cash flow pressure
Third-party payment Instant 0.6%-1% Small emergency purchases
A household appliance company once used a 6-month acceptance bill to pay for a 1 million yuan order, and the actual capital cost increased by 32,000 yuan, which is equivalent to a hidden increase of 3.2% in unit price.
Account period game: "cash flow magic" from 30 days to 90 days
The length of the account period directly affects the efficiency of the company's working capital. Common strategies in the industry include:
"Quantity for period": If the single purchase volume increases by 50%, the account period can be extended from 30 days to 60 days.
"Supply chain finance": Through bank factoring services, the 90-day account period is converted into a "buyer pays interest" model, and the capital cost is lower than the loan interest rate.
"Dynamic account period": adjusted according to the fluctuation of raw material prices. For example, when the price of polyimide film increases, the supplier may shorten the account period from 60 days to 15 days.
Three tricks to become a master of payment strategy
"Payment combination punch": large orders use "telegraphic transfer + acceptance bill" mixed payment to balance costs and cash flow.
"Account period bet": promise an annual purchase volume increase of 30% in exchange for an extension of the account period from 30 days to 90 days.
"Digital risk control": access the supply chain financial platform to monitor the supplier's financial status in real time to avoid prepayments going down the drain.
A listed company uses an AI capital forecasting model to accurately match the purchase payment cycle of high-temperature tape with sales returns, reducing short-term loan demand by 12 million yuan throughout the year.
The essence of payment terms is the game of supply chain power. The purchaser needs to transform from a "passive recipient" to a "rule designer" and transform payment costs into competitive advantages through financial tools, data analysis and negotiation strategies. Remember: every penny saved is pure profit!
